Ryan Fitzpatrick could seize Dolphins’ starting QB job in third preseason game against Jaguars

Ryan Fitzpatrick turned the corner for a run toward the left side, saw an incoming defender trying to slow him down and lowered his shoulder to deliver a wicked hit that allowed him to gain a few more yards up field.

“He’s a 14-year [veteran], why would he lower his shoulder in the preseason?” former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champion and team color commentator Ronde Barber asked following Fitzpatrick’s run during the telecast of the Dolphins’ second preseason game last week.

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Here’s why, Fitzpatrick answered this week, ahead of his expected start at quarterback in Thursday’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Hard Rock Stadium:

“Since growing up, I know that the quarterback has a certain aura to it or whatever it is, but I’ve always been a football player,” Fitzpatrick said proudly.

“That’s something that even though I’m old and getting gray hairs in my beard now and stuff, that’s never going to go away. I’m a competitor and I like to consider myself a football player — at least a little bit.”

Fitzpatrick will likely see more action against the Jaguars than Miami’s first two preseason games, where second-year quarterback Josh Rosen played the lion’s share of snaps at the position.

Fitzpatrick played with the second-team offense in the third quarter against the Buccaneers last week as Rosen started and played the entire first half.

Overall, Fitzpatrick has completed 5-of-14 passes (35.7 percent) for 40 yards with no touchdowns or no interceptions, leading just one scoring drive (a field goal) during the preseason.

Fitzpatrick’s statistics pale in comparison to Rosen’s preseason numbers: 23-of-38 passes (60.5 percent) for 293 yards with a 73.7 passer rating, leading the Dolphins on five scoring drives (two touchdowns, three field goals).

But Fitzpatrick’s overall body of work since joining the team — during offseason workouts, training camp, throughout the preseason and its practices — has been better than Rosen.

“There’s been a lot of practice reps, game reps, from the spring to training camp to games to our practices last week with Tampa. For it to come down to one game, no I don’t think it’s that,” Flores said when asked if he would name a starter after the Jaguars game.

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“We’ll make the decision we feel is best for this team and this organization.”

Fitzpatrick knows what he has to do to solidify his position as the starter.

Fitzpatrick needs to be efficient. He needs to be a great communicator in the huddle. He needs to get rid of the football early to his playmakers, and do so while anticipating defensive pressure. He has to convert on third down. And he has to put points on the board.